Separation of Fibre and Core from Decorticated Hemp

Abstract

Separation of fibre from decorticated hemp mixture is important for fibre being use in diverse applications. The main goal of the study was to develop effective and efficient processes to obtain clean hemp fibre. Aerodynamic properties of hemp fibre and core were measured using aerodynamic method to separate fibre and core. Carding method was also used to obtain clean fibre under three different carding durations and five different feeding masses. The third method was the floatation method using water for separating fibre and core. For aerodynamic properties, fibre showed lower terminal velocity and higher drag coefficient than core. The differences in terminal velocity would allow fibres to be separated from core. Using the carding method, the fibre purity was increased from 55% up to 70%. Using the floatation method, the resultant fibre purity ranged from 85 to 90%. Present study discovers some promising methods for hemp fibre cleaning.